Edward Snowden and the diversion of Bolivian President Evo Morales' aeroplane in Europe

Last week’s diplomatic incident in Vienna
continues to spark anger in Latin America. In Austria, the Bolivian President Evo
Morales’ aeroplane was grounded amid allegations the NSA informer Edward Snowden
was on board after Morales left Moscow during a state visit. Recently, the
Organization of American States (OAS) met and issued a resolution, “to condemn
actions that violated basic rules and principles of international law such as
the inviolability of Heads of State.” It added that it would: “strongly call
upon the governments of France, Portugal, Italy and Spain to provide the
necessary explanations and apologies about the events involving the President
of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Evo Morales, as well as the
corresponding apologies”.

A few days earlier, the Union of South
American Nations (UNASUR) issued a similar statement. They declared that what
took place was a “flagrant violation of international treaties that rule the
peaceful coexistence, solidarity and cooperation between the States.” Arguing the
act was “an illegal action that affected the liberty of transit and movement of
a Chief of State and his official delegation”, UNASUR added that: “[t]he
unacceptable restriction to Morales´ liberty, turned him into a virtual
hostage, was a violation of rights, not only to the Bolivian people but against
all the countries and people of Latin America as well.”

With the incident quickly moving to the
back pages of the international press, the Australian journalist John Pilger in
the Guardian best summarized the episode as follows:

Imagine the aircraft of the president of
France being forced down in Latin America on "suspicion" that it was
carrying a political refugee to safety – and not just any refugee but someone
who has provided the people of the world with proof of criminal activity on an
epic scale.

Imagine the response from Paris, let
alone the "international community", as the governments of the west
call themselves. To a chorus of baying indignation from Whitehall to
Washington, Brussels to Madrid, heroic special forces would be dispatched to
rescue their leader and, as sport, smash up the source of such flagrant
international gangsterism. Editorials would cheer them on, perhaps reminding
readers that this kind of piracy was exhibited by the German Reich in the
1930s.

The forcing down of Bolivian President Evo Morales's plane – denied
airspace by France, Spain and Portugal, followed by his 14-hour confinement
while Austrian officials demanded to "inspect" his aircraft for the
"fugitive" Edward Snowden – was an act of air piracy and state terrorism. It
was a metaphor for the gangsterism that now rules the world and the cowardice
and hypocrisy of bystanders who dare not speak its name.